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First Air Force: Organization provides top cover for America

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While much of the Air Force is engaged overseas, one organization has remained behind to fulfill a mission equally important executing Operation Noble Eagle, the air defense mission aimed at preventing terrorist attacks in the United States.

Through ONE, 1st Air Force, headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, is charged with maintaining air sovereignty and defense over the United States. Surprisingly, the organization is not comprised exclusively of active-duty components, but also includes the Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and Canadian military members serving in 10 fighter wings and three command and control centers.

We have a steady-state mission of protecting the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands from airborne attack by terrorists or any state actors who would be willing to use airborne objects to attack the U.S., said Maj. Gen. Craig McKinley, 1st Air Force commander.

As one of four numbered Air Forces assigned to Air Combat Command, 1st Air Force is also the lead air defense agency for the Continental United States North American Aerospace Defense Command Region (CONR), a bi-national organization consisting of U.S. and Canadian forces, and a sub-unit of U.S. Northern Command.

Following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, 1st Air Force operations went into high-gear to protect the continental U.S. from further terrorist aggression, both inside and outside our borders. Since that day, the 1st Air Force mission has grown, and they continue to provide Americans the security vital to their everyday lives.

We monitor more than 6,000 flights at any given time, and we have flown more than 34,000 sorties since Sept. 11, 2001, said General McKinley. These sorties were conducted by ANG and active duty units alike.

According to General McKinley, the level of support that has been made available to carry out the homeland defense mission is astonishing. For example, regular Air Force units have helped by flying necessary combat air patrols over areas of specific interest, since they have large air wings and resources capable of meeting the demands associated with those missions. In turn, ANG assets sit airstrip alert at strategic locations throughout the U.S., he said.

Additionally, 1st Air Force has formed partnerships with such agencies as the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation and Secret Service.

Before Sept. 11, 2001, we looked outward, primarily focusing on defending our Air Defense Identification Zones from penetration outside the U.S., General McKinley said. Our posture was limited to responding to and defending against those threats.

Now, our focus is internal. Through our partnerships, we can see and communicate with tracks of interest anywhere in the country. It took a lot of inter-agency cooperation to do that.

At the heart of 1st Air Force are its air defense sectors and combined air operations center, also located at Tyndall. The Southeast Air Defense Sector is one of three facilities charged with monitoring air traffic across the U.S. SEADS area of responsibility is the southeastern portion of the U.S., spanning nearly one million square miles of airspace and 3,000 miles of coastline from Virginia to Texas.

Inside the SEADS facility, controllers utilize the latest computer technology to identify and track aircraft 24 hours a day.

We have 200 full-time and 80 traditional Guardsmen in the facility, said Col. Charles Campbell, SEADS commander. Their job is to monitor the scopes and decipher whats out there.

Since the FAA is the primary controller of U.S. airspace, a representative is on duty in the SEADS facility to assist commanders with interagency coordination. When an aircraft cant be identified through conventional means such as radio or radar, the FAA can coordinate with commanders and controllers to scramble aircraft to rapidly intercept and identify the unknown track.

In order to facilitate the SEADS mission, the CAOC must plan resources for mission execution. According to Col. Kevin Burman, the 601st Air Operations Group commander, the CAOC maintains operations 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year with the mission of planning the 1st Air Force homeland defense mission.

Were the senior Air Force command and control agency here, Colonel Burman said. We operate a complete air tasking order cycle from strategy and plans to execution.

Much like SEADS, the CAOC consists of Airmen who monitor the skies over the U.S. and coordinate with government agencies such as the FAA. Based on the location and number of assets available, plans are generated to determine how 1st Air Force will best conduct its air defense mission.

Ensuring Americans are able to live normal lives, uninhibited by the threat of airborne terror, is the bottom line for the men and women who make up the organization, and they take their jobs very seriously.

This second front of the war on terrorism, while not publicized a lot, is a very significant mission for [1st Air Force] and the Air Force, said General McKinley. Any failure here at home gives terrorists an advantage we dont want them to have.